Shantnu Nikhil Present a Blend of Military Tailoring and Fluid Drapes at India Couture Week 2025

The fifth day of Hyundai India Couture Week 2025, in association with Reliance brands, an initiative of FDCI, was marked by the unveiling of Metropolis, a collection by designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil.

It was not just a new collection of menswear for the modern man, it was a bold, future-facing statement that rewrites the very foundation of Indian menswear with a careful blend of desert traditions and the grandeur of India’s regal past.

Set against the backdrop of chic-Industrial arches giving the venue a bold, almost Art Deco-meets-industrial vibe the collection reflected an exquisite blend of military tailoring and fluid drapes. The duo has handcrafted heritage for the modern man. Metropolis has taken redefining the modern Indian man a notch further with its sculpted silhouettes, embellished pinstripes on structured suits and overcoat sherwanis that walked a thin line between tradition and rebellion. 

With Metropolis, Shantnu Nikhil defined a new kind of royalty, one that is not inherited but earned, and their accessories speak in the most fluent language of revolt. A cinematic vocabulary, the collection was not just the new code of Indian Menswear, not just of how they dress, but how they declare who they are.

Emerging as a manifesto, Metropolis defines the Shantnu Nikhil man-one who leads and who is a mix of Shiva and Shakti, both, someone who walks ahead as a leader and does not use heritage as homage but as a weapon. This collection, a quiet rebellion, reflects the command of a Shantnu Nikhil man.

The collection, set in an imagined city, where the future has a slight touch of nostalgia garnishing over it to build an entirely new foundation for menswear. It is a city where inclusivity is central to its foundation. It reflects the way the world is constantly changing and the cultures today are coming closer. Every cut in each of their looks represents a shift in conversation. While the crest of the collection remains, the context is ever evolving. A shantnu Nikhil man honours history by stepping beyond it.

For Shantnu Nikhil, the uniformity in their collection prioritises national pride with a change in narrative and unshackling traditionalism. Their collection puts masculinity in perspective through structure and soul as it dismantles predictability.

With sharply defined silhouettes like cropped Bandhgalas, fluid draped kurtas and architectural layers that hint at precision with purpose and colours ranging from noir and pearl to sand gold and washed vintage pastels, the collections spanned across widespread palettes.

White their collection and their multiple looks were the highlight of the evening, the grandeur of the show was elevated with the presence of Bollywood stars who turned showstoppers and closed the show for Shantnu Nikhil at the end of the show as the duo came on the runway, including Rajkumar Rao, Randeep Hooda, Arjun Rampal and Jim Sarbh among others. 

There were several other celebrities seated in the front row like Manushi Chillar and Fatima Sana Sheikh who were absolutely stunned by the duo’s new collection. Their collection was not just adornments but a legacy defined by structure, emotion, and narrative depth.